The Best (and Worst) War Movies of All Time

War movies have been around as long as cinema has existed. There is something about the horror, bravery, tragedy, and excitement of combat that has inspires filmmakers and put butts in the seats. By our thinking, a good war movie says something specific to the conflict it purports to represent. Historical accuracy is also a plus, but it's easy to forgive some errors in the face of a good plot or overall effectiveness of a film. We limited our list to conflicts in which the U.S. fought, and we skipped a few, such as Kosovo or Grenada, that didn't inspire many films. Of course, let us know what movies we're missing.

Best War Movie Ever: Black Hawk Down (2001)

Best War Movie Ever: Black Hawk Down (2001)

Ridley Scott directs our generation's equivalent of The Longest Day, rendering the details of the battle of Mogadishu in full bloody glory and chaos. The emotions take a back seat during the action, but that makes the brief lulls harder to watch as the Rangers and special forces personnel try to fight off an entire city. Violent, slick, well-crafted, and almost devoid of political diatribe, Black Hawk Down is the only must-see war movie on this list.

Best Antiwar Movie Ever: Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Best Antiwar Movie Ever: Full Metal Jacket (1987)

An antiwar movie must not skewer one war but all wars. This one takes a scythe to the idea of a professional soldier. Here we start with the forging of gung ho Marines, the brutal training of battlefield predators. It takes the rest of this movie to show this ethos stripped to its core—an untrained teenage girl can kill just as well. Stanley Kubrick's war movie is staggering, violent, and effective.